


Breathless

by bgn846



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Gladio whump, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis quick thinking to the rescue, M/M, Noctis freaks out, Resuscitation, squished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 05:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15066611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846
Summary: Gladio gets the unwanted attentions of a angry garula directed his way, the full force of the problem being when he gets stuck underneath one.  His friends are the only ones that can save him.





	Breathless

**Author's Note:**

> It took me a whole week to figure out how to whump the big guy. He's like unwhumpable. No clue if garula meat is supposed to taste any good.

Gladio couldn’t risk it, he had to act or the consequences might be dire.  He had an inclining that Noct would warp away from the oncoming garula but he couldn’t just sit back and wait for that to happen. 

Garula’s weren’t normally a huge threat but this herd had one pissed off male charging at anything that moved, namely Gladio and his friends.   The haven they were heading towards was right on the other side of the creatures, they were so close to being done with the day.      

Battling a bunch of cockatrices earlier had depleted their stock of potions and just made everyone tired. It was an easy decision to find the closest haven and crash for the night before heading back into town for supplies.

This stupid garula needed to just go away.  Gladio hadn’t really expected to use his broadsword but life sometimes doesn’t follow your wishes. The lone male had started to charge at Noctis and was nearing his target when Gladio summoned his broadsword and hurled it at the garula.  

The effect was immediate.  The broadsword struck the animal and lodged itself neatly in its flank.  The garula didn’t go down though it just stopped charging at Noctis and turned to face its new target, Gladio.

The speed with which the animal flung itself at Gladio was not expected.  Gladio barely had time to move out of the way when it came rushing over to knock him down. He threw himself to the side and against one of the many boulders that ringed the area. 

He was vaguely aware of his friends yelling at him but he was still focused on the garula that refused to go down.  The animal swung around to charge him once again but having a giant sword sticking into its side was starting to finally have an impact. 

As the garula ran at Gladio he felt like the world slowed down when he saw what was happening. Its front leg slipping on something slick on the ground, the animal had trod through its own blood and was skidding.  The beast’s legs buckled as it fell on its side, the momentum still enough to allow it to continue moving towards Gladio, fast.     

It all happened in a flash, the creature running towards Gladio and then cornering him against the boulder before turning around to attack again.  The shield didn’t have time to get out of the way before it crashed into him on the angled rock face and completely covered him.

Gladio’s world went dark and not because he had passed out.  The garula’s massive body had pinned him against the boulder. Of course it had chosen this time to really die and leave him there struggling to move a single muscle.  He had to quickly amend that thought and add not breathing as well. 

 

“Gladio!” Noctis screamed “Shit, are you okay? Gladio? Gladio!?” Panic had started to grip the prince as he ran over to where his shield was currently stuck under a large immovable weight.  “IGNIS!! Help! w..what do we do?” He asked wide eyed. 

His advisor was by his side in a heartbeat along with Prompto who had lost all the color in his face upon realizing the true problem.

“We need to get this thing off him immediately!” Ignis spat out his face a cacophony of emotions each one fighting to take over. The gears in his head were spinning frantically they only had a few minutes to act and time was running very fast.

There was no time to find rope to make a pulley system to move the garula, no time to chop the animal up.  They had to try and push it away from the rock face.  “Noctis, Prompto, up on top of the animal, now!”

They quickly obeyed with worried expressions as Ignis took his place between the two of them. He placed his back against the rock and bent down to sit with his feet braced on the animals still body.   “Work your feet down and keep pushing as hard as you can.”

It felt hopeless for a moment or two with no movement happening.  Then after a minute the garula’s body started to shift slightly on the ground.  This gave all three of them renewed hope as they fought the fatigue and burn in their own legs to keep pushing and inching down the rock face as the beast slid away. 

“I see him!” Noct gasped finally “Shit keep pushing guys. Gladio!” He tried again desperate for a response.  None came.  His head was soon free of the beast’s girth as they continued their efforts.  When there was space to stand Ignis dropped down to the ground and checked for a pulse even though half of his body was still under the garula.   

Noct looked on in horror as he caught onto what was happening.  “N…no he has to be alright.  Specs…please tell me he’s okay?”  

Ignis didn’t answer and started to give him chest compressions.  “Did I say to stop pushing!”

Prompto squeaked and started again though he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Gladio’s still form on the ground. Noct was in shock and Prompto had to lean over and smack him in the arm.  “Help me Noct! We can’t help Ignis if Gladio isn’t completely free.” The prince snapped out it and started to move the beast with his feet. 

Time was playing tricks.  It felt like an eternity had passed with Ignis hovering over Gladio’s motionless body.  Prompto and Noct had finally managed to get the beast far enough away from Gladio that Ignis told them to stop.

They fell down next to him and expected some sort of explanation of what to do next.  Ignis sat back on his haunches and sighed.  “Specs… why did you stop?! He needs to be alright.”  Nocts voice cracked on the last word as he sucked back a sob.  “No.  t…this isn’t happening.” He turned toward Gladio and grabbed his shoulders.  “Gladio! Please!” 

“Don’t you have any potions?!” He was screaming now and reached out to grab at Ignis after letting go of Gladio.  His focus was shattered.  He was hysterical.  That’s when he missed what happened next.  Ignis did as well with his attentions directed to his prince. 

Prompto had tears running down his cheeks but then he heard it.  The small gasp that came from the shield, followed by another one and then another. “Guys!” he yelled, words immediately failing to form after his initial outburst. 

Prompto was just sputtering and crying.  Ignis noticed his state and then looked at Gladio. Ignis closed his eyes and took a deep breath visibly relaxing.  Noctis lost his godsdamned mind.  He lunged at Gladio and hugged him tight. 

“Whoa there princess.” he rasped “I’m not dead, I don’t think. Why can’t I feel my feet?”

Ignis snapped his eyes open at that statement and then reached around to tug at the shields feet still stuck under the dead garula.  He freed one and then moved to the other.  “That better?”

Gladio just nodded and smiled.  He slowly started to move his sluggish arms and finally returned the hug that Noct was so fiercely bestowing on him. “I’m okay. Next time I’m letting you warp out of the way.”

Noctis just keep quietly sobbing on Gladio’s chest. “I…I thought you were gone. Don’t do that again. E.V.E.R.”

“We should make camp. I believe that Gladio took out our one and only threat that remained today.”

 

After they all collected their wits Ignis stood up and offered a hand to Gladio.  He reached out to take it and then was accosted by both Noctis and Prompto on either side pulling him up.  Once he was standing they didn’t let go.  “Worried I’ll find another garula to flirt with?”

Prompto had the decency to smile but Noct just glared at him.  “Too soon?” Gladio mused. 

“No work for you for the rest of the night and maybe even tomorrow.” Noct grumbled. “You are not allowed to scare the shit out of anyone for the next 24 hours.”

Gladio just grinned at him and hugged him close.  “Sorry I had you worried.  Thanks for getting me out from under that thing.”

“Everybody helped but Ignis was the only one thinking clearly enough to figure out how.” Noct admitted.

Ignis snorted at that admission. “Well I agree with Noct, you are not doing anything but resting for the remainder of the night.  I’ll even make you cup o noodles if you want.”

Gladio looked at Ignis wide eyed.  “Aww Iggy. Thanks.” He paused for a moment and then ventured. “You don’t want to use any garula meat? There’s an awful lot.”

“Hell NO.”  Ignis responded dryly as he turned and walked away.

Gladio couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that.  He was thankful the two squirts were still hanging onto him as he listed heavily from laughing so hard at Ignis’ reaction.  

True to their word Gladio didn’t have to do a thing when they made camp.  A chair was set up by a newly started fire and he was forced into it.  He watched as the other three put up the tent and got ready for a peaceful evening. 

Prompto even returned after a brief absence with a bucket of water and placed it near him with a rag and whispered in his ear. “You keep sniffing yourself and making funny faces… its cause you smell like garula, right?”

“Bless you Prompto this is perfect.” He smiled at him and proceeded to wash away the stink he was sure he had from being squished by the wooly beast.  Not long after he started washing a fresh set of clothes were deposited next to him by Ignis. 

An hour later and he was clean, relaxing in his pajamas, eating cup o noodles, and sitting around the fire with his friends.

Ignis looked over to Noct “Why don’t you and Prompto go to sleep.  We’ve all had a long day. You both look tired.”

Noct looked at Gladio and furrowed his brow debating about whether it was a good idea or not.  Despite the fact that he had been yawning furiously for the past thirty minutes he still didn’t’ want to leave his side.

“I promise to make sure your shield won’t get stuck in between a rock and a hard place.”  

Gladio chuckled “It’s okay Noct I’m going to just enjoy the fire I swear I’ll be in there snoring soon.”

“Fine.” Noct sighed as he got up followed by Prompto.  The two of them disappearing in to the tent. 

Once they were both gone Gladio looked over at Ignis, he looked totally worn out.  “Had you all worried didn’t I?”

“Gladiolus, I… “ Ignis paused and slid his fingers under his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.  He then removed them entirely and looked up right into Gladio’s worried face. “I never want to experience that feeling again.  I thought I had lost you back there and I’m afraid I couldn’t quite deal with it.  I know we can’t control things like that but I do want you to know that I am supremely grateful to be able to sit across from you now.”

“Iggy...” He said after a moment. “I love you too.” Smiling he added “Now let’s get some sleep. Please.”

 

  


End file.
